This invention relates generally to multimode electronic timepieces. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved program for determining the condition of a mode other than the one in which the wristwatch is currently engaged.
Multimode, multifunction wristwatches (or wrist instruments) are known which include a display, a lamp for illuminating the display, a number of manually actuated switches and an integrated circuit programmed in a preselected sequence. Examples of such watches are seen in Houlihan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,773, Houlihan U.S Pat. No. 4,780,864 and Horan U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,784, all of the foregoing being assigned to the present assignee. In the foregoing patents, which are merely exemplary of multimode electronic wrist instruments or multifunction wristwatches, one of the manual actuators may typically serve to repetitively cycle the instrument through a number of modes or operating states in each of which a different type of information is displayed. Such modes may include, in a multifunction watch, the time of day, chronograph, dual time zone, elapsed time and an alarm setting mode. By special preselected actuation of one of the switches, the wristwatch may be further converted into a computer, a speedometer, pulsometer or any other type of device, subject only to the imagination of the designer and programmer of the integrated circuit. While in any of these modes, another manual switch actuator may be employed to change the information being displayed in that mode or state, such as initiating the chronograph timing or setting the time of-day or setting the alarm time or performing a calculation.
Watches are known wherein information stored in a memory location may be recalled for temporarily displaying the information by actuation of a switch. For example, a data bank watch Model DB-60, manufactured by Casio Computer Co. Ltd., has a keyboard switch which may be used to review the last telephone number or the next scheduled alarm time while operating in the time-of-day mode. The telephone number and/or scheduled alarm time comprise information residing in one or more memory locations and are entered into those locations by the user.
A problem existing with multimode electronic timepieces is the desire to know the status of an operating mode other than one in which the timepiece is currently operating. One common situation where this would be useful is where the multimode watch includes an alternate time zone. Since a multimode watch normally includes a manually actuated switch for shifting from one mode to the next in a predetermined sequence, it is necessary to cycle through all of the modes from time-of-day, to the alternate time zone and then to continue the sequence back to time-of-day. A similar situation takes place when it is desired to know the alarm set time without cycling through the entire predetermined schedule of change of modes.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved program for reviewing the status of a mode in a multimode watch other than the mode in which the watch is currently operating.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for determining the status of an alternate mode in a multimode electronic wristwatch.